If you’re trying to remove a Facebook page that you created from your account and are running into issues doing so, there are a few potential reasons why you may be unable to delete the page.
You don’t have admin access to the page
In order to delete a Facebook page, you need to be an admin of that page. If you created the page originally but then added other admins and removed yourself, you will no longer have the option to delete the page.
To check if you’re still an admin on a page you want to delete:
- Go to the page and click “Settings” at the bottom of the left sidebar
- Click “Page Roles” on the Settings page
- Look for your name under “Admins” – if you’re not listed there, you won’t be able to delete the page
If you’re not an admin, you’ll need to either add yourself back as an admin or ask one of the other admins to delete the page for you.
You have unpublished content on the page
Facebook requires that all content is removed from a page before allowing admins to delete it. This includes:
- Unpublished posts in the page’s timeline
- Unpublished images and videos
- Events that haven’t ended
To check for unpublished content:
- Go to the page’s timeline and click “Posts” in the left sidebar
- Filter posts to “Unpublished”
- Delete any unpublished posts
You’ll also need to navigate to Photos, Videos, and Events to check for any unpublished content there. Once everything is either published or deleted, you should be able to delete the page.
You have active ads running
If you’re running any active ads on the page you want to delete, you’ll need to either turn those ads off or delete them before being able to remove the page.
To check for active ads:
- Click “Settings” at the bottom of the page’s left sidebar
- Click “Ad Center”
- Click “Ad Accounts” on the menu at the top
- Check each ad account connected to the page for active ads
- Turn off or delete any active ads
Once all ads are inactive, you should then be able to delete the page.
You have active job listings
If you use Facebook to list job openings for your business, any active listings need to be removed before the page can be deleted. To manage job listings:
- Go to the page and click “Settings”
- Click “Jobs” in the left sidebar
- Click “Listings” at the top
- Delete or expire any active job listings
Once all jobs are removed, you should have the option to delete the page.
You have active shop or services
If your Facebook page includes an online shop, scheduling services, or donations, these need to be disabled before you can delete the page. Here’s how to check for any active shops, services, or donations:
- Go to the page and click “Settings”
- Click “Shops” or “Services” in the left sidebar
- Remove any active shops or turn off services
- Click “Donations” in the left sidebar and remove any active donation buttons or campaigns
With these disabled, you should then have the option to delete the page.
You’ve requested page deletion in the past 14 days
If you’ve attempted to delete the page recently but ran into one of the above issues, Facebook imposes a waiting period before you can submit another deletion request.
If you requested page deletion anytime in the past 14 days, you’ll have to wait before trying again. No further deletion requests will be processed during that period.
Check the date of your last deletion attempt – if it’s been less than 14 days, you’ll have to wait out the remainder of the period.
Your page has been permanently disabled by Facebook
In some cases, Facebook may disable your page if they deem it to be in violation of their terms of service, community standards, or other policies.
If your page has been permanently disabled by Facebook, you will lose admin access and the option to delete the page yourself.
You can determine if Facebook disabled your page by trying to visit it – you’ll see a message that the content isn’t available along with more details on why it was disabled.
You’re using a personal profile instead of a page
Keep in mind that pages are different from personal profiles on Facebook.
If you created a second personal profile instead of a page for your business or organization, the steps to remove it will be different.
To remove a personal profile:
- Go to your Settings
- Click “Your Facebook Information” in the left sidebar
- Click “Deactivation and Deletion”
- Click “Continue to Account Deletion” and follow the steps
You don’t have permission to manage or view the page
If you didn’t originally create the Facebook page yourself, you may not have the necessary permissions to view or manage it.
Page admins can assign custom roles that dictate what actions different users can take. If you don’t have full admin access, you may not be able to delete the page.
Check with the page admin who added you and request that they either add the permission to delete the page or delete it for you.
Conclusion
In summary, some common reasons you may be unable to delete a Facebook page include:
- You don’t have admin access
- There is unpublished content
- Active ads are running
- Job listings need to be removed
- Services or shops need to be disabled
- You recently requested deletion
- The page was disabled by Facebook
- You don’t have full permissions
Check for each of these issues on the page you want to remove. Resolve any outstanding content, ads, listings, or services. Ensure you have admin access and full permissions. Then wait at least 14 days if you recently tried to delete.
This should allow you to remove most pages from your Facebook account. If you still can’t delete a page for some reason, you may need to reach out to Facebook support for additional help.
| Reason | Solution |
|---|---|
| No admin access | Add yourself back as an admin or ask another admin to delete the page |
| Unpublished content | Delete or publish all unpublished posts, images, videos, and events |
| Active ads | Turn off or delete any active ads running on the page |
| Active job listings | Delete or expire all active job listings |
| Active shops/services | Disable any shops, turn off services, remove donation buttons |
| Recent deletion request | Wait at least 14 days since last deletion attempt |
| Page disabled by Facebook | Reach out to Facebook support |
| Limited permissions | Ask page admin to change your role or delete the page for you |
Deleting a Facebook page can require multiple steps, but understanding the different roadblocks that prevent page deletion enables you to methodically remove each one until you’re finally able to permanently delete the page.
Be sure to check for any unpublished or active content, remove anything still publicly listed, and ensure you have full admin access. With a bit of time and patience, you should be able to successfully rid your Facebook account of any pages you no longer need.
Facebook’s processes are in place to ensure pages have active admins who want to maintain them, and that no orphaned or incomplete content gets left behind. While it can be a tedious process, working through each requirement ultimately allows you to completely remove pages you don’t want tied to your account anymore.
If you want to create a temporary page or experiment with different ideas, consider making a separate test account for that purpose. This will make it easier to delete experiment pages without affecting your main profile.
Overall, take the deletion prerequisites as an opportunity to tidy up your online presence and remove any old or unused content. With some diligent maintenance of your Facebook pages, you can ensure only your active, relevant pages remain as part of your account.